TIRUCHY: The sun has finally peeked through the thick clouds in Tiruchy, but CK Anand is still busy. His phone never stopped ringing as many bylanes in the city remained under water owing to the downpour in the past few weeks that left the city completely inundated. It could be an urgent call asking for a boat; someone requesting for a quick delivery of some vegetables or medicines; it could be a toddler crying for a chocolate.
In his late 30s, Anand leads a group of volunteers, who reach out essentials to people residing in waterlogged areas round the clock. Their day begins at 7 am and goes on beyond midnight, especially in the last few days.
A few days ago, as grey clouds hovered over the city, Anand received a call: a few people were stranded in low-lying areas of Lingam Nagar, Arul Nagar, Selvam Nagar, Rajalakshmi Nagar in Woraiyur, and needed some food. He gathered a few boys from his area and rushed to the affected areas with help.
“I hired two boats from Mukkombu and people who can row them. I wanted to provide what people really needed in such trying times. On the first two days, we distributed daily essentials such as milk, atta, maggi, semiya, bread, etc. We distributed food and vegetables too. We try to help out as many people as possible,” Anand says.
Running his own cable business, Anand goes an extra mile to help people around him. The compassionate tricenarian has earned a special place in people’s hearts. His philanthropic journey began during the Gaja Cyclone, said Anand’s friends, and has continued ever since. Residents of these localities are full of praise for him. “Anand had helped us during the lockdown too.
A few months ago, in certain areas, he realised there was a high risk of dengue and malaria. He got mosquito nets installed in all the households at his own expense. He has rescued more than 500 people in the past few weeks,” a resident of Arul Nagar, Pugazh, told TNIE.
“We’ve seen three floods in the past month, but the last few days were the worst. Anand and his team have been working tirelessly. They are doing what the government needs to do. They have saved several lives,”
says Raj Mohamed, a resident of Selvam Nagar.
Even as he talks to TNIE, he is busy attending to people around. Every passer-by stops in, to talk to him. Some requested him to supply vegetables in their area, some others just paused to express their gratitude. Water has receded from most city bylanes. But Anand is still busy. And he is just a call away.